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02-08-2017, 04:28 PM
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...Oldest Lettered S&W I Have Seen...
...from a 2012 auction...sold for $6000 plus $1230 buyers premium...
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02-08-2017, 04:45 PM
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Is that a factory box,or did they even come with boxes back then..
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02-08-2017, 05:04 PM
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Amazing note, 75 guns shipped to one place on the same day. That guy was selling those 32s as fast as he could get them. Wonder what they retailed for to those folks going west after the War. A darn handy belt gun.
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02-08-2017, 05:10 PM
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...here is more info...case is original...and price was $14.50...
...This is a magnificent example of a Smith & Wesson Model 2 Army revolver with original case. The included factory letter confirms the barrel length, two-tone blue and silver finish and rosewood grips. The revolver was part of a 75 unit shipment of this configuration and was shipped on April 29, 1865 to B. Kittredge & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Note this revolver was shipped 20 days after Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House. These revolvers original sold for $14.50 and were popular with Union Officers and travelers heading West. The top of the barrel rib is marked "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS." with the 6-shot unfluted cylinder marked with the 1865, 1859 and 1860 patent dates marking. The matching assembly number "XX4" appears on the rear of the barrel lug and front cylinder face with the serial number stamped on the butt. The frame has a spur trigger and three-pin top strap. As stated, the revolver is blue with silver plated frame and fitted with varnished smooth two piece rosewood grips. The right grip panel is numbered to the gun. The original partitioned wooden case is lined in red velvet. The top of the lid has a blank initial plaque. Also with the revolver is a 50 round box of UMC .32 S&W CF cartridges.
BBL: 6 inch solid rib
Stock:
Gauge: 32 RF
Finish: blue/silver
Grips: rosewood
Serial Number: 34565
Condition: Very fine to excellent. The revolver retains 90% original blue finish showing thinning brown on high points. The frame retains virtually all of the original silver plating which is taking on an attractive age darkened appearance. The hammer retains vivid original case colors. The grips are excellent with only minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. The case is fine with some minor handling marks and high spot wear on the lining, the barrel partion is chipped otherwise excellent. An outstanding example of a two tone Kittredge shipped No. 2 Army...
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02-08-2017, 05:18 PM
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I think the BATF should have been talking to that dealer, sounds like he's selling a lot of those things, must be some straw buys.
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02-08-2017, 05:26 PM
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What a deal at $14.50. You got change from a Double Eagle. Enough money for a few bottles of snake bite medicine. That trail west must have been littered with bottles. Would I wish to try it, heck no. Cold beer was non-existent.
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02-08-2017, 05:56 PM
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...found photos of a token from B. Kittredge & Co....
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02-11-2017, 07:32 AM
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Just to clarify...and not to belittle your post at all.
When I first saw this thread, I thought, wow, the OP lettered his firearm and it referred to a firearm from 1852, maybe one of the first few Smith & Wesson revolvers ever produced. By the time the revolver that is the subject matter of this thread had been produced, Smith & Wesson had already been in business for 13 years. I have a letter on a No 2 Army that shipped in May of 1862. I can post a photograph of the letter, if desired, but it probably would be pointless to do so, as even it references a revolver produced after the firm had been in business a decade. This No 2 Army has condition, and yet it cost me not significantly more than pocket change, by today's standards. I thought it important to mention that lest someone think I paid a small fortune for the privilege of owning a revolver produced by such an esteemed firm within the first decade of its 165 years (so far).
The challenge: Post to this thread a photograph of the letter detailing the earliest revolver in your possession. I should think that anything produced after the 1850's would be too "new" to even be in contention.
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02-11-2017, 07:44 AM
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Well, maybe this is a stupid question, or maybe just an irrelevant one, but I have to ask, anyway.
The gun letters as a .32 Rimfire Long. So why is there a box of .32 center fire cartridges with it?
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02-11-2017, 09:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcvs
Just to clarify...and not to belittle your post at all.
When I first saw this thread, I thought, wow, the OP lettered his firearm and it referred to a firearm from 1852, maybe one of the first few Smith & Wesson revolvers ever produced. By the time the revolver that is the subject matter of this thread had been produced, Smith & Wesson had already been in business for 13 years. I have a letter on a No 2 Army that shipped in May of 1862. I can post a photograph of the letter, if desired, but it probably would be pointless to do so, as even it references a revolver produced after the firm had been in business a decade. This No 2 Army has condition, and yet it cost me not significantly more than pocket change, by today's standards. I thought it important to mention that lest someone think I paid a small fortune for the privilege of owning a revolver produced by such an esteemed firm within the first decade of its 165 years (so far).
The challenge: Post to this thread a photograph of the letter detailing the earliest revolver in your possession. I should think that anything produced after the 1850's would be too "new" to even be in contention.
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The OP was clear that this was not his revolver, and it appears to me he was prompting others to follow up. In other words, what have you seen or what do you have?
I'm not really sure what you are trying to say. Could you help me out a little. Thanks
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02-11-2017, 11:37 AM
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"The gun letters as a .32 Rimfire Long. So why is there a box of .32 center fire cartridges with it?". Looks pretty.
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02-11-2017, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mmaher94087
"The gun letters as a .32 Rimfire Long. So why is there a box of .32 center fire cartridges with it?".
Looks pretty.
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So it's just for display purposes then? Okay.
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02-11-2017, 02:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcvs
Just to clarify...and not to belittle your post at all.
When I first saw this thread, I thought, wow, the OP lettered his firearm and it referred to a firearm from 1852, maybe one of the first few Smith & Wesson revolvers ever produced. By the time the revolver that is the subject matter of this thread had been produced, Smith & Wesson had already been in business for 13 years. I have a letter on a No 2 Army that shipped in May of 1862. I can post a photograph of the letter, if desired, but it probably would be pointless to do so, as even it references a revolver produced after the firm had been in business a decade. This No 2 Army has condition, and yet it cost me not significantly more than pocket change, by today's standards. I thought it important to mention that lest someone think I paid a small fortune for the privilege of owning a revolver produced by such an esteemed firm within the first decade of its 165 years (so far).
The challenge: Post to this thread a photograph of the letter detailing the earliest revolver in your possession. I should think that anything produced after the 1850's would be too "new" to even be in contention.
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...I posted this thread because it was the oldest lettered S&W I had seen...not because it was the oldest one extant...if you or others have an older lettered S&W...I...and I am sure others...would love to see it...
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02-11-2017, 06:06 PM
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Well, this actually opens up the road for two situations. You could have the oldest letter (from the first day that Roy began writing letters) or you could have a letter dated in 2017 that describes the first model one,one, one shipped.
I would think that either example would be cool but I love anything S&W.
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02-11-2017, 11:44 PM
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I doubt these letters will win any prize for earliest from Roy or earliest ship date, but they are earlier than any in this thread so far. In July 1861 a brace of "fine Army pistols" was presented to Capt Hosea C. Lombard in Springfield on the occasion of the formation of the 10th Regiment Mass Infantry. The presentation, by Mayor Bemis and Ex Lt Gov Trask is documented in several regimental histories and newspapers. The first letter here from Roy was when only one of the two was known, SN 66. The second gun was only discovered by the collecting community in 2009, SN 62 and reunited in 2012. Camp Brightwood image courtesy U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center.
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02-12-2017, 01:04 PM
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What's written in this letter, when it says that 'because of an exclusive patent covering this type of arm, S&W were the only cartridge handguns legally manufactured', is not entirely true. The Moore teafire revolvers, the Plant cupfire revolver or the Slocum .32 RF were cartridge guns that did not infringe the Rollin White patent, and the only way that S&W had to get rid of these competitors was to buy the companies.
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02-12-2017, 01:29 PM
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I'm new around here, with the addition of a Smith and Wesson Russian model three I acquired and received everyones help on.
However my comment is, I can't believe that a pistol this old and in this good of shape would only go for 6 to 7k. I look at this and almost consider it priceless. I have a lot to learn. A whole lot!
Bill
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